Amazon Vega OS: what it means for Fire TV users

If you own a Fire TV Stick, you’re part of a pretty big club – more than 250 million Fire TV devices have been sold worldwide. For years, they’ve all been powered by Amazon’s custom version of Android, quietly running in the background and keeping everything familiar.

But that’s about to change. Amazon is officially breaking away from Android with the launch of Vega OS, a brand-new Linux-based operating system debuting in the Fire TV Stick 4K Select.

The company says Vega OS will make Fire TV faster, lighter, and easier to update, but it also signals something much bigger: a shift toward an independent platform that Amazon can shape entirely on its own.

Let’s take a closer look at what Vega OS is, what’s different under the hood, and what it means for Fire TV users and developers.

Breaking away from Android

For almost a decade, Amazon’s Fire TV devices have relied on Fire OS, a heavily customised version of Android. It was a practical choice – it gave users access to thousands of Android apps and made life easier for developers who could reuse existing code.

But it also came with strings attached. Because Fire OS was built on Android, Amazon still had to follow Google’s rules, adapt to its update cycles, and work within the limits of an ecosystem it didn’t fully control.

Vega OS changes that completely.

Built on Linux, Vega OS gives Amazon total freedom over performance, design, and updates. The system has been stripped down and optimised so much that the new Fire TV Stick 4K Select runs smoothly with just 1 GB of RAM – half the memory older 4K models needed. That’s a big leap in efficiency.

A familiar look, a brand-new core

At first glance, you might not even notice that your Fire TV is running something completely new. The menus, the layout, the home screen – they all look and feel the same. And that’s very intentional. Amazon doesn’t want users to feel like they’ve been dropped into a different world overnight.

But beneath that familiar surface, everything has changed.

Vega OS isn’t just a reskinned version of Fire OS – it’s built from the ground up on Linux and developed using React Native 0.72. That means developers can create native Fire TV apps using JavaScript and modern web technologies, instead of relying on Android tools.

To make the transition smoother, Amazon has released new Vega Developer Tools, which allow for some code reuse. For many developers, this means they won’t have to start completely from scratch when bringing their existing apps over to Vega OS.

So while it looks business as usual on the outside, under the hood, Vega OS is lighter, faster, and more flexible – a platform designed for where Amazon wants Fire TV to go next, not just where it’s been.

The end of sideloading

If you’ve ever installed an app on your Fire TV that wasn’t available in the Amazon Appstore – maybe a niche streaming service or a custom media player – you’ve used sideloading. It was one of Fire TV’s most popular “hidden” features, especially among power users.

That’s coming to an end with Vega OS. Amazon is tightening things up, and sideloading is no longer officially supported. From now on, only apps available through the Amazon Appstore can be downloaded and installed. In Amazon’s own words, this is “for enhanced security.”

Technically, it’s still possible to sideload apps through command-line tools, but that’s not something the average user will want (or know how) to do. For most people, Fire TV is becoming a closed ecosystem, similar to Apple’s tvOS or Samsung’s Tizen.

Depending on who you ask, that’s either a win or a loss.

On the plus side, it means a more stable, secure system that’s less vulnerable to bad code or broken apps. But for users who liked the flexibility of installing whatever they wanted, it’s a noticeable step backward. Vega OS, in that sense, is trading freedom for control and that will shape how people feel about it.

Make your app compatible with every TV platform

Check our solutions

Check our solutions

Built on Linux, not Android

One of the biggest shifts with Vega OS is what’s under the hood. Unlike Fire OS, which was built on Android Open Source Project (AOSP), Amazon’s new operating system is based entirely on Linux.

That change has major implications, especially for app developers. Because Vega OS doesn’t use Android as its foundation, existing Android apps won’t run natively. Every app will need to be rewritten or rebuilt specifically for Vega OS in order to function properly.
To make the transition smoother, Amazon is introducing a stopgap solution: cloud apps.

These are Android-based apps that don’t actually run locally on the Fire TV device. Instead, they’re hosted on Amazon’s servers and streamed to the user’s screen as a continuous video signal, including the app’s interface and controls. It’s a system similar to cloud gaming, where everything happens remotely but feels local to the user.

According to Amazon spokesperson Melanie Garvey, “Selected developers will have their existing apps streamed from the cloud while they work on a native version for Vega OS.”

Amazon promises to host these cloud apps for at least nine months free of charge, giving developers time to rebuild their software natively. But there’s still uncertainty: what happens after that? If a developer decides not to adapt their app for Vega OS, will it simply disappear from Fire TV devices like the Fire TV Stick 4K Select?

It’s an ambitious and somewhat risky transition, one that raises questions about long-term app availability and the user experience once Vega OS becomes the standard.

Why Amazon is doing this

By moving away from Android and basing Vega OS on Linux, Amazon removes Google from the equation entirely. The company can now define its own update cycle, decide how its ecosystem evolves, and integrate services such as Alexa, Prime Video, and Amazon Ads on its own terms.

Vega OS also creates a path toward a unified software platform that could eventually power not only Fire TV devices but also Echo displays, smart home hubs, and future Amazon hardware. That consistency simplifies development and strengthens the connection between Amazon’s products.

Owning the operating system also gives Amazon greater control over user experience, data, and monetisation. With Vega OS, Amazon no longer has to share key ecosystem data or depend on Google’s licensing conditions.

In practice, Vega OS positions Amazon alongside Apple, Samsung, and LG – companies that already rely on their own platforms (tvOS, Tizen, webOS) to deliver tightly integrated experiences. The difference is that Amazon’s version of independence starts in the living room, where Fire TV remains one of the most widely used streaming ecosystems in the world.

In short

For Fire TV users, Vega OS means faster performance, smoother navigation, and stronger security, but also a more controlled environment with fewer customisation options. It’s Amazon’s next step toward a unified ecosystem, one that will likely extend far beyond TVs.
For app owners and content providers, the shift brings both challenges and opportunities. Existing Android apps will need to be rebuilt, and new standards will emerge for streaming and performance.

That’s where our team comes in. We help companies design, develop, and optimise applications for every major TV and streaming platform, from Android TV and Tizen to webOS, Roku, and now Amazon Vega OS.

With years of experience in cross-platform development, testing, and certification, our experts can guide you through the transition and make sure your app is ready for the next generation of Fire TV devices.

FAQ